Over 30 years ago Chippewa Economic Development Corporation partnered with area economic development stakeholders to develop and run a local business incubator. The Chippewa Valley Innovation Center was established to help startups, entrepreneurs, and new business ventures in manufacturing accelerate their growth and success. With assistance-CVIC does this by providing support in a variety of areas including business advisory services, management training, office space, capital, mentorship, and bringing meaningful connection opportunities in combination of with affordable workspace.
CEDC assisted and introduced a group of entrepreneurs who are running a century old manufacturing company to the CVIC, as a way to enter the Chippewa Valley Market slowly and methodically. With a history that dates back to 1875 the story of Huber begins. In 1875 marks the incorporation of the Huber Manufacturing Company in Marion, Ohio. Edward Huber’s first products were a steam engine and a grain thresher. Manufacturing of road construction equipment began in 1908 with the introduction of a steam road roller. Then self-propelled maintainer debuted in 1920, this machine is the early predecessor to today’s M850-E Series Maintainer being build today. Prior to World War II, the Huber Co. began building farm equipment and road construction equipment. Following WWII, the decision was made to only concentrate on road construction equipment. The products included motor grades, rollers, cranes and maintainers. In the late 1960’s Huber was purchased by A-T-O Corporation, later moving the operation from Marion to Goose Creek, South Carolina. Huber was later sold to Figgie International, whom in turn fell on hard times and closed in 1984. Yet in 1994, a former engineer and service manager of Huber, Don Braden purchased the Huber line and returned Huber to its Ohio roots to become a division of his new company; Enterprise Fabrications. The first maintainer to be produced in the state of Ohio in over 15 years, rolled out of Huber’s Galion plant in 1995. As the need for more room arose, Huber moved to its new location in Iberia, Ohio, just 20 miles from Marion, Ohio. Entrepreneurs Keith Hovland of Valley City, North Dakota and Jerry Piper of Fargo, North Dakota are founders of Product Acquisition and Integration Services. In 2018 they purchased Huber Manufacturing Company and started the production of the Huber 850-E Maintainer in Valley City, North Dakota 60 miles to the west of Fargo. The company is utilizing the services of the CVIC as they scale up and expand their operations.